New Technology Speeds Diagnosis of Blood Disorders

10-Color Flow Cytometry Enables Faster Results, Earlier Treatment

Thanks to another new technology, SLUCare physicians again are on the cutting edge
of the diagnosis and treatment of cancer, specifically disorders of the blood. This
time, they are using 10-color flow cytometry — capable of detecting up to 10 simultaneous
fluorescent signals — to precisely depict and analyze cells from bone marrow, blood,
lymph nodes and other tissue. A chief benefit of this cytometry is that diagnoses
can be made in a very short time, allowing treatment to begin sooner.

It's a highly advanced diagnostic tool.”

Up until very recently, the cytometry instrument used two or four colors to make diagnoses,
but Dr. Katherine Robbins, SLUCare patholologist and assistant professor of pathology at Saint Louis University
School of Medicine, says that while that number was still very effective, the jump
to more colors is akin to switching from early color television to HDTV: The picture
is richer, crisper, more accurate. "It's a highly advanced diagnostic tool," she says
of the technology, which uses lasers to map the ‘fingerprint' of each cell. Flow cytometry
is able to analyze several thousand particles a second and can actively separate and
isolate particles with specific properties. Cells are suspended in a stream of fluid
and passed single file through a light beam for sensing.

"In order to deliver the very best treatment, we need to understand everything about
the cell. Upgrading to 10-color flow cytometry now allows us to more precisely characterize
tumor cell populations," Robbins says. An added benefit of the tool is that it can
extract information from very small samples with limited cells, like those taken from
fine needle aspirates, cerebral spinal fluid and small tissue biopsies. Higher information
content per tube maximizes small specimens, she says, and minimizes the chance of
incomplete analyses; low-frequency abnormalities can be more easily detected.

This upgrade has been in the works for several months and became available in November
2016 when live testing began. "It's a process. We wanted to make absolutely sure the
results were accurate," Robbins explains.

In a conventional biopsy, it takes time for tissue to be processed, but now we can
take live cells and run the analysis much faster.”

She says a huge benefit of the 10-color flow cytometry is that it facilitates swift
diagnoses, sometimes within a matter of hours. "In a conventional biopsy, it takes
time for tissue to be processed, but now we can take live cells and run the analysis
much faster," she notes. "This has great implications since it means treatment can
start sooner." She adds that the needlepoint accuracy of the diagnosis means that
oncologists can be even more precise in their decision-making regarding treatment,
and that the collaboration between SLUCare doctors and departments also helps to ensure
the best possible outcomes for patients. "Ours is a fully integrated service where
all data is shared to provide accurate diagnoses and the best care," Robbins says.
"That's what I believe makes SLUCare unique."